OTTAWA — Passengers aboard a double-decker city bus screamed “Stop! Stop!” as the driver plowed through a flashing level crossing and into a passing Via Rail train Wednesday morning, killing at least six people and injuring many more.

The horrific collision sheared off the front of the bus and knocked the Via locomotive and one of four passenger cars off the tracks.

Police confirmed six dead while several area hospitals were flooded with 31 patients, including 11 in critical condition.

“People started screaming, ’Stop, stop!’ because they could see the train coming down the track,” said student Tanner Trepaniere, who was in the upper level of the new, double-decker OC Transpo bus.

Both levels of the front end of the bus, extending back to the driver’s seat, were ripped off by the impact.

“There was a lot of screaming, but then people were actually relatively calm, considering the situation,” Trepaniere said of the aftermath.

The bus was on a dedicated transit line that runs parallel to a busy commuter artery just east of a suburban Via Rail station, about 10 kilometres west of Parliament Hill.

Witnesses on the ground said the bus simply didn’t stop, despite flashing lights and lowered safety barriers that had the morning commuter traffic stopped nearby.

“Boom! It went into the train like that,” said Pascal Lolgis, who watched the bus smash through a safety barrier.

“He didn’t stop. He must have lost his brakes. Or he had an ... attack or whatever.

“He just didn’t stop. He just keep going like that. Then he got hit.”

Another witness, Mark Cogan, also said the safety barrier was down.

“I just thought maybe there’s a side way around or something but instantly he just ... he smoked the train,” said Cogan. “He went through the guard rail and just hammered the train and then it was just mayhem.”

A broken safety barrier could be seen under the bus carriage.

Rescue crews swarmed over the mangled wreckage as ambulances, fire trucks and police vehicles flooded the scene, rushing the injured to area hospitals.

A spokesman for Ornge, the provincial ambulance service, said two helicopters were dispatched to the scene, including one from Toronto, because the initial reports were so dire.

The choppers were recalled when it was clear ground transport ambulances were able to handle the volume.

The chief of staff at the nearby Queensway-Carleton hospital said four patients had been admitted initially, all suffering from broken bones.

The Civic Hospital also said it had admitted four survivors suffering severe trauma, and expected more.

“This is one of the worst events we have seen in the city or at this hospital; the tragic injury and loss of life to people,” said Dr. Andrew Falconer of the Queensway-Carleton.

“It is overwhelming to imagine the suffering that is going on. We have had other mass casualties (events), but not for many years. This one is definitely tragic.”

A trauma centre for worried families was set up at a nearby sports complex and by midday people were arriving in small groups.

One woman arrived with several teenagers in tow, wiping her eyes. She wouldn’t talk, but nodded when asked if she had a loved one on the bus.

The Via locomotive and one of four passenger cars could be seen resting askew on the tracks, but Via officials said there were no major injuries on the train. The company has suspended its Ottawa-Toronto service while the investigation continues.

“It is a tragic morning in the nation’s capital, as a devastating accident between a bus and train has caused injury and death,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement.

“On behalf of all Canadians, Laureen and I extend our thoughts and prayers to all those affected by this tragedy.”

The prime minister said he “would like to commend all of the first responders who acted quickly to assist those in need.”

Glen Pilon, of the Transportation Safety Board, said a number of investigators were on the scene.

“We have people from our engineering branch, we have people from our human factors and we have numerous technical investigators, and we have more coming for support,” said Pilon.

There was also a moment of silence in the Ontario legislature as it opened Wednesday morning.

“My heart goes out to all the individuals and families who are affected, and I want to thank our first responders for being on the scene,” said Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.

“And the province will be in constant contact to help assist the city of Ottawa or the federal government if that’s necessary.”

— With files from Murray Brewster, John Ward, Jennifer Ditchburn and Steve Rennie

•••

(Earlier story)

OTTAWA — Police say multiple people have been killed and many more injured in a devastating crash between a Via Rail train and a double-decker city bus in Ottawa’s west end.

The collision at a level crossing took place at the peak of the morning commute.

Photos posted to Twitter by witnesses at the scene showed the OC Transpo bus with its entire front end sheared completely off.

Witnesses say the bus appeared to ignore warning signals at the crossing.

Via Rail said there were no major injuries reported on the train, but it suspended its Ottawa-Toronto service.

Pascal Lolgis, who witnessed the crash, said the bus appeared to drive through a lowered crossing barrier.

“Boom! It went into the train like that,”Lolgis said. “He didn’t stop. He must have lost his brakes. Or he had an ... attack or whatever.

“He just didn’t stop. He just keep going like that. Then he get hit.”

Another witness, Mark Cogan, said the rail barrier was down.

“The train is going through,” Cogan said. “And I was just looking around, just watching things happen. And noticed that in the bus lane, the double-decker bus ... I saw him and he just kept going.

“I just thought maybe there’s a side way around or something but instantly he just ... he smoked the train. He went through the guard rail and just hammered the train and then it was just mayhem.”